First Meeting
by supervilliangirl
Summary: She was acting embarrassingly like a teenager with her first crush. OC story


Title: First Meeting

Fandom: Legend of Korra

Summary: She was acting embarrassingly like a teenager with her first crush.

Author's Notes: Originally this was kind of a story about how Tahno's parents met-because I had this idea that he was a biracial (bi-nation?) child with a water tribe father and a fire bending mother (it would explain his pale skin and darker hair). I am still considering making it that, but as it stands it's just an OC cute little blurb of story. It's just meaningless fluff, and I am considering it being a series of oneshots. Please review and give me opinions! Should I continue this? Should I leave this as it is? Please let me know!

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Lian shivered and brought the ends of her coat together; fumbling with the clasps that would theoretically hold it closed-if the damned wind would stop blowing.

She had been warned of the freezing temperatures of the South Pole, but having been born and raised in the heat of the Fire Nation had made her skeptical of their claims. Clearly they had not been over-exaggerating, if the way she shook was any indicator.

Hopefully when she got to the village where Avatar Aang's wife-Katara-resided, the locals could provide her with thicker clothing. Her light -weight dresses defiantly were not going to cut it in this snowy wasteland.

She frowned and fingered her freshly-cut locks. Her elder sister had told her that it was fashionable nowadays to have short hair and that it would make her look sharp and sophisticated. The fire-bender just hoped that it didn't make her look like a prepubescent boy with her tiny stature.

One of the crew members shouted that the boat was to dock soon, and she took this as her cue to sling her bag up and onto her shoulder. It contained food, clothing, and the notes that she would need. If she was to successfully write this book on the Avatar's life she would need to be as descriptive and informed as possible.

Looking around she squinted her eyes as the harsh arctic air assaulted them. It was snowing, and had been for hours. Giants made of ice struck out into the sky, daggers tearing through the canvas of gray. The snow that lay on the ground was so bright that it hurt her eyes to look at, and she vaguely remembered that that was because the sun was reflecting off of it.

Lifting her chin higher she saw the sun-that glowing ball of fire up in the sky. It's light was dimmed slightly, as if put behind a filter. it still called to her, and she felt it's pull and pulse, but it was dimmer than the rush of raw poser that she usually felt.

"Miss, it's time to get off." A gruff voice behind Lian informed her, and she found one of the sailors standing there, gesturing for her to be on her way.

Frowning at the fact that she had been caught so unawares, she blinked and started to move forward. Her legs creaked from standing in the same position for so long, and her fingers twined and laced together to try and warm them. She considered bending to warm herself, but decided against it. She was already exhausted and didn't need to be wasting any more energy.  
Waiting for the other passengers to descend she glanced at the smooth metal underneath her feet and she wondered if it was too late for her to just turn around and get back onto the ship. This place was so foreign and different that it was almost as if she was entering a different world.

There was no vegetation to be seen anywhere, and she was used to the tropical fruit bearing trees and bright blooms. Did these people eat anything besides meat?

Walking down the ramp she apprehensively watched the nearing layer of snow, as if waiting for it to jump up and attack her. Although she was twenty-four years old she had never seen snow since it had only been in the mountain regions of the Fire Nation, which she had not lived in.  
She knew that it would be wet since it was composed of water, and knew it was cold firsthand from the flakes of it that had hit her face while she had been standing on the deck. The Fire-Nation native just hoped that it didn't get everywhere like people said it would. That sounded really annoying and uncomfortable.

Finally it was her turn to get off, and her legs felt ready to crumble underneath her. Her father had once told her that unless you had a strong foundation anyone could knock you over. At this moment she felt like someone breathing in her direction could have made her feel unbalanced.  
And then, her boots were sinking into the downy stomach of the land, she released a breath that she hadn't even been aware that she had been holding in. Lian was glad that for the last minute decision that she had made to buy them. They were warm and insulated the wolf-bat fur along the trim brushing up against her shins in a comforting manner.

The others who had gotten off of the boat were greeting family members and the like, grinning despite the biting cold. It felt like a holiday that she wasn't a part of, and a pit formed in her stomach as no one stepped up to claim her. She had arranged for a guide to come and take her to the remote village.

For a few minutes longer she waited and the crowd started drifting away in chattering clumps. Adults clasped hands in companionship and children darted between their feet. Longingly she eyed their long coats, the thick fabric swishing and tangling against their legs. They were dyed different shades of blue, and on some the jackets there were symbols. Did they mark status, or accomplishments? Maybe they were merely decorations.

After everyone had cleared out she saw a figure standing rather far away, just watching her. Chancing a glance around she saw that no one else was around any longer. Even the ship had left, off to collect new passengers.

Gathering her courage she trudged through the snow, the thin layer of ice that had formed on it making it difficult for her boots to break through it. She saw that the figure still had not moved, arms crossed across its chest and standing at a rather intimidating height.

Her head bobbed nervously. If this wasn't her tour guide, then who was this? Had she been duped, and now she would die here, alone, and then her body left to the icy tundra?

A tremor raced down her spine unbidden, more from the thought than the temperature this time.  
Steeling herself she took one of her mittens off. It was flimsy anyways, but she didn't want to burn through them if fire bending would prove necessary. Taking the other off, she stuffed them into her bag. Calling the burning energy in her veins into her finger tips she prepared for a fight. It never hurt to be too cautious.

"H-hello?" When she realized how shaky her voice sounded she cursed herself. Spirits, she was a grown woman, and more than capable of taking care of herself! Fear was the last thing that she wanted to show an absolute stranger. Besides, she was fairly confident in her bending abilities. If this person tried to attack her she could take them down...even if they were a good foot taller than her, ruggedly handsome, and _very_ attractive.

The woman was now close enough to it-him, as it turned out, that she could make out individual features. And oh, what features they were.

'This is ridiculous. A pretty face means nothing.' She chided herself, and turned her eyes up to meet his.

He possessed many of the classic water tribe features: the dark skin, long mocha hair, the bright blue eyes. It was if someone had placed pieces of precious stones into his sockets, and Lian blushed at her own ridiculous thoughts.

The man's hair was longer than hers had ever been, even before she had cut it. She doubted that he had ever done so in his entire life. It fell in a long, tightly coiled braid that swayed with the wind, stopping somewhere along his broad back.

Clearing her throat, she restrained herself from trying to reach out and touch it.  
Again, she made an attempt to speak. "A-are," mentally she slapped herself. Spirits, she NEVER stuttered. Standing straighter, reaching her full meager height, she finally met his eyes. They were cool and collected, calmly watching as she made a fool out of herself. "Are you my guide?" There, no stuttering, no swooning, and almost in a normal pitched voice.

The water tribe man nodded once, those eyes never leaving hers, and lifted one of his arms. She clenched her fingers, feeling the beginning of a flame start to appear. Oh, if Mr. Big, Dark, and Brooding thought that she was defenseless he was dead wrong-

When she felt the thick fabric wrap around her shoulders she gaped.  
Eyes widening to comical proportions she looked to his face, the jacket, and then back again. Then, drifted down to the thin one of her own jacket. It was obviously doing very little to protect her from the environment, and he had noticed that.

"But...but what about you? I can firebend to keep myself warm..." She trailed off. Really, she was grateful for it, and the warmth from his larger frame was already seeping into her. But...  
Shrugging noncommittally the giant of a man stepped forward and reached his arms around her to settle the jacket more firmly around her shoulders, doing the buttons with a quickness that suggested years of going through the same exact motions. Lian blushed at the smell of him-like seawater and animal and something spicy-and at the broad shoulder that was pressed against her cheek as he leaned down.

Standing up and stepping away from her his eyes swept her figure for a moment, as if admiring his handy work.

"My name's Lian." she mumbled to him a bit breathlessly, fighting down the blush that still stained her cheeks. The fire died from her fingertips and she put her arms through the too-long sleeves, deciding that if he really wanted to kill her he wouldn't have made the effort to keep her warm and put himself in danger of getting frost-bitten. Besides, it smelled like him.  
He nodded, as if he approved of the name, thought it was the best idea he had ever heard, and simply said "Nanuq."

Then he started to walk away, and she knew that she really had no other choice than to follow. Glancing around she figured that he was her best bet for survival out here, and doubted that he would try to hurt her.

"Nanuq..." she muttered, trying out the name to see how it would sound. It rolled off her tongue easily, and she liked the way it seemed to warm her insides. What did it mean anyway?  
"Wait!" scrambling to catch up, she wondered if he would answer any of her questions.


End file.
